


Still Breathing

by scarsandammunition



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bisexual Margaery Tyrell, Bisexual Sansa Stark, Dany/Lady BrOTP, Developing OT3, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Sansa Stark/Margaery Tyrell, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Human/Pet friendship, Lesbian Daenerys Targaryen, Mentions of past abuse, Multi, POV Daenerys Targaryen, POV Sansa Stark, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-01-21 02:07:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21291863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarsandammunition/pseuds/scarsandammunition
Summary: Daenerys escapes from her monstrous brother and arrives in King's Landing, hoping to start a new life for herself. However, as she soon finds out, the past has a habit of catching up with you, no matter how far you manage to run from it.
Relationships: Daenerys Targaryen/Margaery Tyrell, Jeyne Poole & Sansa Stark, Lady (ASoIaF) & Daenerys Targaryen, Sansa Stark/Daenerys Targaryen, Sansa Stark/Daenerys Targaryen/Margaery Tyrell, Sansa Stark/Margaery Tyrell
Comments: 24
Kudos: 113





	1. I

From all the postcards, one would suspect that King’s Landing was always sunny and warm. Landmarks like the Red Keep and the Sept of Baelor were always pictured with a beaming backdrop and jovial tourists; it was the very image of perfection.

Daenerys cursed whichever marketing genius had that idea because that picturesque setting was shattered rather quickly. The sun was nowhere to be found, replaced by a torrential downpour with a bitter wind to accompany it. The tranquil sea surrounding the capital was choppy and splashed all up the bow of the ship she was on, drenching the window she was peering out of. She hoped the weather would clear up, although from the talk of the sailors on the boat, this was nothing compared to some of the summer storms.

Arriving at King’s Landing flooded her with relief. Four days spent at sea, no company but her own and the occasional sailor checking if she was alright, dreading the thought of her brother finding her and taking her back. Back to Pentos and his dastardly schemes for the Iron Throne. They were family, the only two Targaryen’s left in the entire world, and yet she was little more than property to him; means to an end. Calling the Unsullied on him and his nefarious operations was the best thing she ever did. Hopefully, he was locked up and someone had lost the key.

Although Viserys was no longer a problem, the capital presented its own set of challenges. The meagre amount of money she managed to steal from her brother was small enough to help her out but was certainly not large enough to live off of for an extended period of time; Daenerys hoped she would be able to sort herself out by then. Hopefully.

Finding a place to stay was the foremost problem. There was no-one in the city that Daenerys knew so hoping to sleep on a friend’s sofa was out of the question. One of the crew members would be able to tell her a place to stay that, ideally, wouldn’t be too dear in price. But then there was food, water, and showering to think about. Gas, electric, heating; finding a job, getting on her feet, starting a whole different life anew. 

She was shaken out of her thoughts by a gentle knocking at her cabin door. She stood off the chests she was standing atop of and opened the door to reveal the captain.

“We’re coming up on King’s Landing now, lassie.”

Daenerys gently smiled at the man and thanked him, her excitement starting to build more and more.

“This your first time here?” the man asked.

She nodded. “I’ve never really travelled before.”

“At all?” The seafarer seemed genuinely surprised by her answer.

“Well, Westeros at least. I’ve been to many of the Free Cities in Essos.” _Not that that matters. _

“Aye, they’re a sight to behold, aren’t they?” the captain responded. “I prefer them myself; much prettier than anything you’ll find in the capital; I’ll say that much. Always jump at a chance to sail over to any of them.” He bumbled around in front of the cabin door before asking Daenerys: “Lassie, forgive my asking, but why are you here? Pentos is a much nicer place than this dump – why would you want to leave?”

Daenerys pondered on how she would phrase her explanation. She had spent part of the journey coming up with a story in case she needed one but never settled on one. After all, how does one explain that they’re the daughter of the previous president who killed anyone who disagreed with them and whose brother is actively plotting to take back said presidency?

“Had to leave my family for a bit. Things were… intense,” was the lie she settled for. Well, not exactly a lie; a half-truth. A lot easier to explain at least.

The sailor nodded. “Families are complicated, I’ll say that much.”

Daenerys found herself nodding and humming in agreement. An awkward air settled around the two until Daenerys spoke again to gain some information about King’s Landing.

“You’re from King’s Landing?”

The captain nodded. “Aye. Born and raised. A wonderful little slice of shite called Flea Bottom.”

“Do you know any good places to stay?”

“There are some good hotels near the Sept if you’ve got the money,” Daenerys heart dropped, “but there are some hostels near Flea Bottom if you’re strapped for cash.”

Daenerys smiled slightly uneasily. _Flea Bottom looks like the more likely option then. _

She heard a voice came through the walkie-talkie and the sailor excused himself and disappeared around one of the many corridors the ship contained; in turn, she shut the door and paced around her small cabin, trying to piece together her next move. Daenerys rummaged through her small bag of belongings and pulled out her purse to find 4 gold dragons, 13 copper pennies and a silver stag. She sighed, knowing that the money wouldn’t get her far, and rolled one of the coins through her fingers.

It still felt odd looking at the coins and seeing the faces of her ancestors on them. Sometimes she could see the similarities between them and Viserys - a defined jaw, curly hair and shaped eyes; his lineage felt more obvious than hers. The Gods gave her the Targaryen silver hair but nothing else. She was small compared to her taller ancestors, although her violet eyes were supposedly an ancient and rare Targaryen trait. Her brother used to preach about their proud legacy and about how he was going to claim back what was rightfully theirs, but she never felt any connection or claim to it; she just wanted to be her own person, live out her own life, not try to be someone else.

Daenerys was shaken from her thoughts by a knocking at the cabin door again; she opened the door to find herself once again facing the captain.

“We’re docking in King’s Landing now. We’re coming in close to the River Gate, which is close to the markets, so you might be able to find a place to stay there.”

“Thank you,” Daenerys smiled at him. She turned her back to grab the small bag of valuables that she managed to bring with her when she heard the sailors voice again.

“Lassie?” Daenerys turned to meet his eyes. “Word of advice; King’s Landing isn’t exactly a safe place. I’d keep to yourself, don’t go trusting just anyone. There’s a lot of people who will happily step over you to get whatever they want.”

_If you knew what I just escaped from, you’d be surprised if I trusted anyone, _Daenerys thought but kept it to herself.

“Thank you…” she trailed off, gesturing for his name.

“Davos. Now let’s get you off this ship before one of the idiots upstairs sinks this thing.”

Daenerys grabbed her bag and followed the captain – Davos – through the many corridors of the ship that lead up to the deck. Immediately, she was hit by the torrential rain that she had watched from her cabin window, partially drenching her through her paper-thin, made for summer clothes; a wind that penetrated through her skin, gifting her with a cold that pierced through her skin. She was quickly saved by Davos who came to the rescue with an umbrella, shielding Daenerys from the vicious storm. 

“Storm doesn’t seem to be ending up any time soon; a true King’s Landing welcome,” Davos muttered, escorting Daenerys down the ramp, across the docks and to the massive gate that served as an entrance to the city; the grandiosity of it shocking her as it loomed over them both. _If this is just the entrance, then Gods know what the rest of the city must look like._

The pair entered the city and arrived at the small market the covered the entrance by the River Gate, and Daenerys’ senses were assaulted on all fronts; various accents shouting to sell their produce and other goods, beaming lights shining from all directions, smells of different foods and spice filling her nostrils.

“Putting these here almost makes up for the fact that the rest of this place smells like shite,” Davos said. Daenerys giggled at his comment and let herself look around her new surroundings as they proceeded through the rest of the marketplace, the small stalls provided some limited shelter from the rain and wind, which hadn’t eased up. Eventually, they arrived at the end of the market, where Davos turned and spoke to Daenerys again.

“I’m afraid this is where I have to leave you, lassie,” he explained. “Gotta help finish unloading the cargo we brought with us. Just follow the street signs and they’ll take you right where you want to be. I hope you manage to find your feet around here.”

Daenerys smiled at him. “Thank you for all your help. Farewell, ser Davos.”

“Ha! _Ser Davos_! That’ll be the day,” he chuckled as he walked back to his ship.

Daenerys watched the captain walk away and found herself overwhelmed by just how different this place was to where she grew up. Where Pentos was arched and domed, King’s Landing was terraced and detached, with almost every building towering over the pedestrians. The buzz and chatter from the Pentoshi markets were amplified with the hustle and bustle that was just normal, daily life in the capital. King’s Landing was surrounded by walls, but Daenerys could see mountains, woodland and fields stretching up and out over the faraway land, even from the low laying docks. This place was almost like Pentos but just _more_ in every possible way.

Daenerys was snapped out of her reverie and back into the real world by the beeping of car horns, which reminded her that she had yet to find a place to stay. She could see Flea Bottom signposted around but was less than enthusiastic about walking there in the storm, which still showed no signs of dying down. She pulled out and put on a small fleece that was one of the few things she managed to grab before leaving Pentos; it alleviated some of the wet and cold but left Daenerys wanting. _Better than nothing, I suppose. _

Luckily, the roads were lined with trees, canopies and overhanging roofs, which did provide limited breaks from the brutal weather. Multicoloured banners hung from lampposts, their wording unreadable due to the water drenching the pennants. Walking along the streets, she found herself continuously entranced by all the streetlights and commotion. The feeling of anticipation that had started to build on the boat still hadn’t dulled and steadily coursed through her body. Daenerys couldn’t tell whether her shaking was from excitement, nerves or just the cold.

If Daenerys felt odd looking at the coins, then walking through the streets made her feel completely detached; even though she knew that her predecessors built all of _this – _buildings that tower over streets, extending out for miles upon miles, a jungle of tile and mortar - yet still she felt no attachment to her lineage.

Eventually, after navigating down street after street, Daenerys finally came across a hotel, grand and towering over the street, with a view that would allow someone to see right into the centre of King’s Landing; everything she imagined living in the capital would be. She almost ran over to the building, desperate to be out of the rain and safely indoors…

Only to find that there was a flashing, luminous sign spelling “no vacancies” in neon blue.

_Shit!_

Slightly disheartened, Daenerys proceeded walking down the street, moving away from the hotel and further into King’s Landing. Life still continued on around her as she kept on her journey - people rushed by, cars drove to their destinations; she was nought but a speck in the big city. She came across the next hotel, a little ways down from where she found the first one, again to find it full of occupants. 

This process continued for some time; Daenerys walked down streets, paths and lanes, desperately searching for a place to stay, only to find they were all either full or far too expensive to afford one night in them, let alone several; her heart dropped more and more after every rejection.

The final straw was when she was turned away from the last hotel she tried – no vacancies yet again – and a van drove through the puddle that had formed by the curb, drenching Daenerys’ already soaked clothes and making them even wetter.

The shaking was _definitely _due to the cold now.

The tears ran down her cheeks of their own accord and a sob escaped her lips. Right now, all Daenerys wanted to do was be somewhere warm and safe and just get away from everything.

But this wasn’t Essos, where she could retreat to her small room in the house she shared with her brother. She was in the middle of the biggest city in all of Westeros, by herself, with nowhere to go. She noticed a small bar opposite the hotel was just rejected from and walked across the road and entered, desperate to be out of the cold and wanting to curl up and cry.

The bar was thankfully quiet, only a few people present enjoying their meals and drinks. Daenerys paid them no attention, just looked for the warmest spot she could. She eventually found a radiator in a booth, coincidentally in the darkest part of the bar, slid in and began to cry. Sobbing silent, she cried for how her dream of forging her own way in King’s Landing wasn’t a possibility, how the one way out she got from her brother wasn’t worth it and how sh-

“Excuse me?”

Daenerys had been so lost in her crying and her thoughts that she hadn’t noticed the figure standing at the edge of the booth, regarding her with curious eyes. She looked up at the woman, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

“I would ask if you’re okay but from the looks of you, I think I can tell the answer,” the stranger said.

Daenerys let out a self-deprecating chuckle and smiled at the newcomer, who slid into the booth across from her.

“What’s the matter?”, the woman asked, her blue eyes full of kindness.

“Oh, you know,” Daenerys sniffed, “family, money, the fact that I’m drenched through my skin.”

The stranger slid around the rest of the booth, her red hair waving around her shoulders as she did so and moved closer. She took her jacket off and wrapped it around Daenerys’ shoulders: “hopefully, that helps fix one of the problems,” she smiled.

Daenerys let out a bitter laugh. She could still feel the warmth of the other woman in the jacket, helping the chills that travelled through her body. “Only two more to go,” she said in response to the redhead.

“What’s up with your family?”

_The fact that the only one I’ve got left is a complete and utter psychopath. _“We…. don’t get on. It was clear that I couldn’t stay any longer.”

“And I thought living with basically five brothers and a sister was intense,” said the stranger. “I’m sorry; I can’t imagine what that must be like.”

“It’s fine,” Daenerys said with a small smile, “I’m here now; away from him.”

They were then joined by another stranger; one with chestnut curls and deep brown eyes full of confusion.

“Making friends are we, Sans?”

“Just making sure she’s okay,” the redhead responded to the brunette, who slipped into the booth opposite them. “Look at the poor girl, she’s shivering.”

“Not all of us have your Northern skin; we can’t just walk through storms like a stroll in the park,” the brunette joked. “Well, are going to introduce us?”

“Oh right! This is… err… this is…” the redhead trailed off.

Davos’ words echoed in her head: _don’t go trusting just anyone. _But these two wouldn’t harm her, right? They were concerned for a literal stranger and didn’t seem malicious in any way.

Although she couldn’t just spout off her name like anyone else would be able to; even from Essos, she was pretty sure that the Targaryen name wasn’t loved over in Westeros, no matter what Illyrio might’ve said before.

Instead, she settled for a name that she hadn’t been called in years.

“Dany,” she said, her voice uneasy due to her trembling. “My name’s Dany.”

The redhead smiled. “Well, it’s lovely to meet you Dany. I’m Sansa, and this” - she pointed over at the brunette – “is my girlfriend, Margaery.”

“Wish we could’ve met under better circumstances,” Margaery said.

“Yeah,” said Sansa, echoing the statement, “so how long have you been here for?”

“You’re not from here?” Margaery seemed surprised at the fact.

Daenerys shook her head at the brunette. “Essos. And I don’t know; my ship docked a couple hours ago, I think.”

“Some welcome you got,” said Margaery, gesturing to the storm outside. Daenerys let out a chuckle in agreement, her mood improving slightly.

“I’m surprised you managed to get a hotel this time of year; I would’ve thought that they’d all be full because of the festival,” Sansa remarked.

“Festival?” she queried.

“Yeah, it’s tradition,” Sansa answered, “every year, people gather together to give thanks to the Gods for a thankful harvest, or something like that; I don’t know, I never paid much attention in history.”

“Everywhere in Westeros celebrates it but King’s Landing does it the best, “ Margaery continued. “There’s parades and parties and all sorts.”

“Ah. That would explain why everywhere is full then.”

Both women looked at Daenerys, slightly confused.

“If everywhere’s full,” said Sansa, “then where are you staying?”

“I haven’t exactly found a place yet…” she trailed off, feeling the stresses from earlier start to rise up again. Everyone was silent for a brief moment before Margaery spoke up.

“Would you like to stay with us?” she asked. “I mean, I doubt you’ll find a hotel at this point and we’ve got a spare bedroom back at our flat.” Sansa nodded along with her.

Daenerys stumbled out a response. “Oh no, I…. I couldn’t ask you to do that, I mean I wouldn’t want to cause you any trouble or anythin-“

“It’s no trouble,” Sansa quickly added. “Honestly.”

“Then yes, thank you so so so much! I mean I haven’t got much in term of money, but I can get a job and then I can start paying an-“

“Hey,” Margaery said, putting her hand over Daenerys’, “worry about all that when we get there, alright?”

Daenerys was beaming from ear to ear, no longer caring that her clothes were still wet or that she was still so very cold.

Sansa treated them all to a meal and some drinks to celebrate their new arrangement; while they ate and drank and laughed, Daenerys found herself thinking one persistent thought:

_Maybe things will be okay after all. _


	2. II

Margaery unlocked the apartment door with a click, and the trio entered; instantly, Daenerys was hit with the warmth of the apartment heating. More than a welcome change from the weather outside. Sansa disappeared into the apartment while Daenerys stared in awe at what she had just stepped into. 

Just from the hallway, Dany could see that the apartment opened up into a joint living room and kitchen, separated by a bookcase, filled to the brim with books of all sorts. A long hallway lead out of the living room and down to several other rooms. Both Sansa and Margaery had decorated the walls with a myriad of pictures: photos of their friends, loved ones, pets; an entire back catalogue of their lives seemed on display and Daenerys felt… _privileged_ to see it.

The rest of the apartment was large and spacious; ornamented with trinkets and treasures, stylish furniture scattered around and a window overlooking a nearby park, filled with the brown-green autumnal leaves. 

_Wow. This is what home should feel like_, Daenerys thought, _not the twisted idea Viserys thought it should be_. 

“I didn’t think this place was that impressive,” Margaery said, snapping Dany out of her thoughts.

“It’s a wonderful place, truly. It’s just more… decorated than where I used to live. My brother used to keep things a lot barer,” Daenerys responded.

Margaery smiled “I think I would too if it was just me. Sans is the one who likes to decorate; you know, colour contrast, space relationship, that kinda thing. She’s great at all that artsy stuff.” 

As if summoned by her name, Sansa reappeared back into hallway carrying some clothes and a towel, walking over to Dany and giving both to her.  
“You poor thing, you must be freezing! Here, I got you some clothes and a towel, they might not fit, you’re a little smaller than I am but I’m sure you’re gonna want to shower because I’m sure that ship was cold and dirty an-“

“Sansa!” Margaery laughed, placing a hand on the redhead’s shoulder. “Let the poor girl breathe!”

Dany snickered as Sansa smiled at her girlfriend and then… _blushed_?

“Sorry! I can get carried away sometimes. Here, come on,” as she led Dany through the apartment and towards the bathroom. “I’ll make up your room for you.”

Dany paused just outside the bathroom. “Sansa, you don’t have to, I’m a guest, you don’t have to run around after me.”

Sansa moved towards Dany and put her hand on her cheek. “And it’s precisely the fact that you are a guest which means I have to,” she countered. “Now go shower, you’re still shivering,” as she ran her hands up Dany’s arms. 

At a loss for words, Daenerys entered the bathroom with a smile, undressed and started to shower. Seeing all the dirt and grime from her journey wash away, she finally felt as if she had arrived, a new person for a new life. 

Viserys had always talked about how it was the will of the Gods that he take the presidency and rule over the domain that was rightfully his; that religious zest hadn’t passed to Daenerys but she did thank the Gods that she ran into Sansa and Margaery when she did. 

And bless them both for making such a fuss over her; it had been so long that she was truly cared for and wasn’t just seen as property. Both Sansa and Margaery seemed to actually see her, even if she hadn’t told them everything about herself. 

Still, she couldn’t help but have her doubts about them; everyone else who seemed trustworthy and caring for her eventually wanted her for their own purposes. Illyrio for getting his investments back and a monopoly over Westerosi trade; Xaro for her family name and the influence it could get him; Jorah for whatever twisted wife-projecting fantasies he saw her for.

And Viserys, who saw her as nothing less as a whore to be sold off to the highest bidder.

Did they realise who she was? Did they have their own nefarious plan for her? Plan to benefit off of her misfortune?

_You’re being illogical_, she thought, _they’ve been nothing but kind to you. You can’t be suspicious of everyone you meet. They’re nothing like Vis, or Jorah, or Ill. They’re not._

Dany realised that, if anything, she was the one treating them wrong. They had taken her in and she didn’t even have the decency to tell her who she really was! For as much as she liked to distance herself from her brother, they were alike in so many ways. 

_How could you do that to people so compassionate? You’re selfish, Daenerys Targaryen, nothing but selfish and a liar. _

But she hadn’t lied to Sansa nor Margaery per se, just not told them the entire truth; a precaution. The less they knew about her previous life the better.

_And do you not think that they have some right to know who they invited to stay into their home?_

Daenerys groaned and placed her head against the cool shower wall, letting the warm water drip down her hair and body, trying to control her conflicting thoughts. She wished she could talk it through with Barristan, Missandei or Grey; they would be able to tell her how to proceed. 

_But they’re not here_, she reminded herself, _Barristan’s gone and Missandei and Grey are happily in Essos. And you’re still stuck in the shower, lying to the people who have taken you in. _

Dany came to her conclusion and she turned off the water. _I’ll tell them. Eventually. Not right now though_.

She got out of the shower and started to dry herself off, noting that some of the aches she got from sleeping on a ship for four days gave her. Only ever so slightly but fade, nevertheless. She made sure her body was dry and then proceed to dress herself in the clothes Sansa had given to her earlier. The faded red top was baggy and she was small enough that it dropped to her thighs, almost completely covering the white shorts that sat at her waist. A sense of giddiness overtook her, almost as if she was a kid again, dressing up in clothes that were far too big for her. Wrapping her hair up in the towel, she exited the bathroom and walked back down the hall into the living room, where Sansa and Margaery were both sat on the sofa watching TV. 

“Feel better?” Margaery asked.

“Very much so.” 

She sat down on the opposite sofa to the two women; she sank into the soft cushions and felt her body almost sigh at the contact. Margaery got up off the sofa and retrieved a cup from the kitchen before walking back over to Daenerys and giving it to her. 

“I’m guessing – well hoping – that you’re a tea person?”

Dany smiled at her. “You guessed correctly.” 

Margaery smiled back at her before sitting back down on the sofa and having her girlfriend curl up to her, Sansa’s head resting on the brunette’s shoulder. They all sat in a companionable silence until Dany saw Margaery stare at her out of the corner of her eye.

“Is that your KLU shirt?”

Daenerys looked down and could barely make out the faded ‘KLU’ letter printed across the front of the shirt.

“Yeah,” the redhead responded, “writing’s seen better days, hasn’t it?” 

“I thought you threw that away?” 

“No, just lost it. Found it again when I was helping mum clear out when I was home last."

“You both went King’s?” Dany inquired.

“It’s where we met,” Margaery responded, smiling softly, dipping her head briefly to kiss Sansa’s forehead. “I studied law while Sans took art.”

“What about you? Did you go to an Essosi uni? Meet lots of exotic boys?” Sansa asked with Margaery giggling at the latter half of her comment.

“I think I’d be more interested in the exotic girls,” Dany responded, “but I never went to uni. I would’ve liked to but I don’t really think I’m smart enough for it.” _And not totally because your brother dictated everything you’ve done for the past five years._

“Ah you didn’t miss out on much; more late nights studying and working rather than out partying,” Margaery responded. “Well, for those of us that actually had some work to do,” before shooting a mischievous look to her girlfriend.

“Behave!” Sansa grinned back. “Not my fault I wanted to do a fun degree and not be bored to death in my lectures.” 

“We still had fun!”

“If you count one of your lecturers putting the class to sleep as fun then go for it,” Sansa snickered before Margaery scoffed and gave her girlfriend a flick to her ear.

They slipped back into the companionable silence again until the programme finished. Margaery got up and stretched her back and arms before speaking: “I think I’ll call it a night here.” She stretched her hand out to Sansa and wiggled her fingers. “Coming?” 

“Yeah.” The redhead was pulled up and then she turned to Dany. “You staying up or turning in?”

As if her body was waiting for such a cue, Daenerys did an almighty yawn. “I think I’ll turn in; it’s been a long day.” 

Margaery extended her hand and pulled her up and went about turning everything off while Sansa showed Dany to her room. It was a modest room, with a single bed and a nice view of the street outside, with a wardrobe and drawers filling the rest of the space.

“I know it’s not much bu-“ Margaery began but was quickly silenced when Daenerys hugged both her and Sansa.

“It’s warm and dry and safe and more than I could ever wish for; thank you so much,” she said, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes yet again.

“It’s fine, honestly.” Dany looked up and saw nothing but genuine warmth in both of their eyes. “Good night, Dany,” Margaery said and she took her girlfriend's hand and led her into their bedroom. 

Daenerys turned off the lights and climbed into the bed, her body fading into the mushy mattress, her head comforted by delicate pillows; she had only climbed in and it was already better than anything she had in Essos. She closed her eyes and quickly fell into a blissful sleep. 


	3. III

Sansa was always a morning person - she loved being awake before everyone and slowly watching the world come back to life: the sun gently peeking over the horizon; people going for early morning jogs and walking with their dogs; traffic gradually starting to build after a peaceful night.

But the best part of waking up was having Margaery pressed against her front, an arm wrapped around Sansa’s waist, her head tucked under her chin, hair spread all over the pillows and legs tangled under the sheets.

As much as Margaery teased her for being a cuddler, the brunette did have a habit of snuggling close to her girlfriend, especially during the winter months, which Sansa was more than just fine with.

In moments like this, everything was so peaceful; Margaery wasn’t stressing over a case or Sansa wasn’t stuck with her artists’ block. All the worries of the world simply just didn’t exist for those instances. Sometimes, there was nothing that Sansa wanted more than to spend entire days on end curled up underneath sheets, wasting the day with nothing but each other.

Placing a kiss on Margaery’s forehead, she slowly disentangled their legs, removed the arm so firmly wrapped around her waist and slipped out of their bed. She watched from the door, a small smile playing on her face, as Margaery snuggled deeper into the duvet in her absence.

Wondering into the kitchen, Sansa started to boil the kettle, preparing tea for her and coffee for Margaery and gazed out of their window which overlooked the nearby park. There was just enough light pouring through the windows to make out the few figures that were walking through the park, dimly lit by the early morning sun and the faint glow of the streetlights.

One of Sansa’s favourite things was to just sit and watch the world go by; usually, she would try to guess the life story of each stranger in the park below. She and Margaery had come up with the game when walking Lady, and it had become something of a habit for Sansa; that person could be going to a job interview, that woman would run into the love of her life, and that man could be meeting friends for a coffee before work.

Sometimes, she would use the time to think about her friends and family: how Bran and Rickon were getting on in school; how Robb and Talisa were doing now that Robb had _finally _popped the question (Sansa was definitely expecting a call to be best man, no matter what Jon or Theon thought); if her mother had finally gotten round to sorting out the garden at their house like she’d been planning to for years.

Margaery was one of the subjects that never really left Sansa’s mind; imagining their future was something so simple, so easy that it surprised her sometimes, even after being together for as long as they had. A big house, kids running around with Lady and puppies in tow were a dream not far off reality.

But today, her mind didn’t wander to her girlfriend or her family or even any of the strangers in the park below; rather, her mind wandered to the guest currently fast asleep in their spare bedroom. 

Dany had looked so utterly terrified when Sansa saw her from the bar; her feet moved of their own accord, walking over and comforting her before she even consciously realised she was doing it. She was more than glad to help cheer the poor girl up, to wipe the despondent look off her face.

_And yet_…

And yet, it felt like she was missing something? Their guest had a look in her eyes, like a deer in headlights, that she would just bolt away at any moment. Clearly, there was something more going on with Dany’s brother than she originally let on but it wasn’t her place to pry into her life.

Sansa did hope she would open up at some point. _A problem shared is a problem halved_, as her parents used to say. She could take Dany to get Lady later, then they could take her for a walk and Sansa could try to get her to (hopefully) talk and open up more. Slowly but surely. 

She was pulled from her thoughts by a pair of hands wrapping around her waist and a kiss pressed against her neck; her smile grew as she closed her eyes and allowed herself to be pulled back into the soft body behind her.

_Margaery_.

“Hi,” she whispered, turning in her arms to face her, her arms wrapping around her girlfriend’s neck. With messy, chestnut curls, and deep, earthly brown eyes, she looked the very definition of a model; Sansa never failed to be amazed at how someone could be so effortlessly beautiful.

“Morning,” Margaery whispered back as Sansa pulled Margaery into her arms. She could feel her girlfriends’ body radiating heat through her pyjamas as Margaery nestled underneath her neck. She always loved to touch Margaery, not even in a sexual way; just having contact with her in some way always helped Sansa feel oh so safe.

They stayed like that for some time, gently holding each other; Sansa squeezed Margaery flush against her. Just a little. She knew that her girlfriend had hard days at her family’s law firm; messy divorces, custody fights or even battles between entire companies. Margaery was good at what she did, one of the best, but it did take its toll on her. Sansa was glad she was able to help Margaery through it, even if it was something as small as a hug.

Margaery pulled back from her embrace and looked into Sansa’s eyes, a small smile playing on her face: “I love you.”

“And you haven’t even had your coffee,” Sansa said, gestured at the untouched mug on the counter.

Margaery smiled and thanked Sansa by pecking her on the lips. A gentle touch of lips, not pushing or intense; contact that was as short as it was sweet.

“You were thinking again?” the brunette said, walking over to the counter.

“How did you know?”

“I know my girlfriend,” Margaery smirked at her, tired but still so stunning to Sansa. She leaned over their kitchen island and took a sip of her coffee. “Anything you wanna talk about?”

“Oh no, wasn’t thinking anything _bad_, just about.. you know… our _guest_.”

“What about her?”

“She just seemed so terrified; you know? I just wish there was more we could do for her,” she said.

Margaery cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes. “Don’t you see, sweet girl? There’s not much else we can do; we’ve given her a place to live, and you wanna take her around the city and help her get on her feet. There’s only so much you can do for her.”

“I get that,” she sighed, “but I meant more about the issues she had at home and with her brother. Like, if we knew what happened, then maybe we could help her out more and sort it for her.”

“Sansa,” Margaery stated, “we’ve barely known her for a few hours. You can’t expect her to pour her heart out to us any time soon.”

“I know, I know, it’s just – it doesn’t make me feel any better about what’s happened. I wanna make sure she’s okay and settled, you know?” Sansa said.

“I think,” Margaery said entangling her fingers with Sansa’s, “that we should just focus on being her friend for the moment.” She took another sip of her coffee. “Besides, you never could resist a damsel in distress, could you?” as a mischievous grin overtook her face.

“I wasn’t thinking of _that_!” Sansa exclaimed, but a smile grew on her face regardless. “I just wanted to help her, not whatever your filthy mind is thinking!” tapping Margaery’s temple to emphasise her point.

The brunette laughed wholeheartedly. “I know you did sweet girl, but you did pull out all the moves on her; gave her your jacket, paid for the dinner, walked her home… all you needed to do was promise that you’d call her and you’d have most of the date clichés down.”

Sansa laughed. “You’re terrible,” she stuttered out between giggles. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say someone was jealous,” she said as she moved around the counter to wrap her arms around Margaery’s neck.

“_I_ have never been jealous in my life,” Margaery said as she wrapped her arms around Sansa in return. “Besides, it’s not as if I don’t think she’s attractive either.”

Sansa shook her head. “I wasn’t thinking about that at all; I promise.” She made a scout’s honour sign and was rewarded with a grin from Margaery. “Besides, even if she wanted to do something like_that_… I don’t think she’s anywhere near ready for it.”

Margaery made a small noise in agreement. “No, you’re right there. But you never know - some of the looks she was giving you last night might suggest otherwise…

**\--------------------**

“Oh my god, hi baby!” Sansa exclaimed as Lady trotted out of the back room of the veterinarians, the vet not far behind her.

She ran up to Sansa, circling around Sansa's legs, tail wagging enthusiastically; she knelt down and scratched all along Lady’s back, neck and behind her ears. She must have missed her the night she spent getting checked up. Usually, Sansa would’ve been reluctant to leave her for so long but Jeyne assured her that she’d be fine, that she’d take good care of her. And since Jeyne was Sansa’s oldest friend, a friendship going on almost 20 years strong, Sansa reluctantly agreed.

Sansa stood up to talk to Jeyne: “Was she okay? I know she can be a handful sometimes,” thinking back to the countless times' Lady and her siblings’ direwolves had ran off and caused chaos.

Jeyne smiled at Sansa. “She was as good as gold; she was a pleasure to treat. I only wish more animals were as well behaved as she was.”

Sansa bent down again to scratch Lady behind the ears. “That’s my girl,” she said as Lady tilted her head up to lick Sansa’s hand.

“How have you been, Sans?” asked Jeyne.

“Good. Really good,” Sansa replied. “How are things with you?”

“I went on a date last night,” she said, a smile growing on her face.

Sansa gasped and mirrored Jeyne’s smile. “Ooooo! Do spill!”

Jeyne giggled. “Well, I don’t wanna jinx anything but he’s nice. He’s sweet, and he’s sarcastic but really funny and I just hope it goes well. We’ve got a second date this weekend!”

Sansa beamed at Jeyne. “ Ahh, I’m so happy for you! I can’t wait to meet him!”

Jeyne laughed. “Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.” She pointed to behind Sansa with her head. “Who’s your friend?”

Sansa turned to see Dany trying to get Lady to approach her. “Oh, that’s Dany. She’s new here; she’s staying with us until she finds a place for herself.”

The redhead watched as Jeyne eyed her up. “She looks familiar somehow. I don’t know where, just… _somehow_.”

“She came from Essos; maybe you met someone from where she lived?”

“Probably.” Jeyne shrugged. “Anyway, as much as I’d love to chat, some of us have to work to get back to.”

Sansa rolled her eyes. “Later, Poole. You know you better text me about that date.” She pointed her finger at Jeyne with a stern expression, but both of them laughed moments later.

Jeyne rolled her eyes. “Until next time, Stark,” came the response.

Sansa turned around to walk out of the veterinarians, only to pause and watch with curious interest as Lady was investigating Dany, with slow movements and curious sniffs. Dany was kneeling, hand outstretched, while Lady carefully approached her.

She presumed Lady would like Dany; she usually had the same judge of character as Sansa herself so surely they would get along? Lady took to Margaery the moment that they met so she assumed Dany shouldn’t be any different.

Luckily, Lady seemed to have the same thought as she moved closer to Dany, almost jumping on top of her and licking all over her face while the room was filled with Dany’s laughter. Sansa smiled and moved over to the pair before Dany ended up drenched in slobber.

“I see Lady introduced herself to you,” she said, slipping a collar around Lady’s neck.

“She did indeed,” Dany smiled, opening the door for the pair and Lady. “She’s really lovely. I’ve never seen a dog so polite and well-trained.”

Sansa leaned in almost conspiratorially. “That’s the secret. She’s not actually a dog – she’s a direwolf.”

Dany stopped in her tracks. “What?!”

Sansa almost laughed at the expression on her face – eyebrows raised; mouth open in disbelief. “You’re having me on right? There’s no way!”

“Yes, I’m completely serious!” Sansa giggled.

Dany moved back up to Sansa and Lady. “I thought wolves meant to be vicious? You know, vicious growls and sharp claws; not…” she gestured to Lady, who was staring at the pair, head titled to her side, “adorable puppy eyes.”

“She’s the gentlest of her pack,” Sansa explained, as Lady moved from her position to move closer to Dany. “My dad found her just before me and Margaery moved here actually. You should see the rest of her siblings, they’re probably closer to what you’re expecting.”

“I would just never think a direwolf could be so…” she trailed off, looking for the word that eluded her.

“Gentle?”

“Yeah,” said Dany, kneeling down, stroking Lady and scratching behind her ears. “I never would’ve even thought otherwise that she wasn’t anything but a dog.” Lady decided that she was done being pampered over and tugged Sansa towards the nearby park. “Guess she wants to run around now,” Dany laughed.

“Yeah,” Sansa agreed, “as much as she’s different to the other direwolves, there’s always some part of her that’s wild and energetic.”

They walked into the park and Sansa lent down to let Lady off of her leash. Immediately, Lady took off, chasing after the nearby dogs while Sansa and Dany stepped into a leisurely pace, following the path around the park. Sansa looked over at Dany, who seemed engrossed in looking at her surroundings.

She reminded Sansa how of she first was when she first arrived in King’s Landing; amazed by all the sights, blinded by all the lights, enchanted by all the city had to offer. The fact that she was dressed in some spare clothes that Sansa had lent her earlier in the morning only helped contribute to that image.

And then Dany turned to Sansa – white hair messy and flapping in the wind; purple eyes, so unique that she half convinced that they weren’t actually real - and looked straight at her, apprehension written all over her face.

“Sansa,” she said, snapping the redhead out of her stupor. “Can I ask a kinda personal question?”

“Go for it,” she responded.

“Did anyone have a problem with… _you know_… you and Margaery?” she asked, almost meekly.

“Oh, you mean, when we got together?”

Dany nodded.

“Erm, not really – I mean, most of our families were just relieved we finally stopped dancing around each other and actually said how we felt. We, err, didn’t exactly have the best track record with boyfriends.” She looked at Dany. “Bad experiences?”

“A little? I came out – I must have been what? 16? – but I’m not sure on how much of that was actually taken seriously, you know?”

“Yeah, I get it,” Sansa nodded, “I was lucky my family didn’t really care; they were just happy I was with Margaery.” She paused for a moment. “Can I ask you a question?”

Dany smiled. “Yeah?”

“What’s the plan here?” Sansa gestured around her with her hands. “You know, a girl comes to a big city with big dreams, makes a life for herself, that kinda thing.”

Dany giggled. “I don’t know; I just needed to get away. You spend your whole life around certain people with a certain mindset and there just comes a time where you just need to get away.” She sighed. “It seems so stupid, I know. Coming to a city halfway across the world with no friends and little money.”

Hey,” Sansa moved to Dany and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, “we can sort the money thing. And besides, you made two friends in a day already; me and Margaery,” she smiled at her.

Lady chose that moment to come barrelling towards the pair, circling around them, fur soaked from where she had played in the grass and it had rained the day before. Sansa just had to laugh at her timing. “And Lady.”

Dany gave Sansa a grin so big and so bright that she couldn’t help but congratulate herself on getting Dany to open up more.


	4. IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: emotional abuse and manipulation

One week.

One _fucking_ week.

Daenerys was blessed for one _fucking _week before the nightmares returned. Perhaps it was the sheer exhaustion from her journey that gave her a respite for a while or perhaps it was just her adjusting to her new surroundings; either way, the nightmares had made an unwelcome resurgence.

Most of her nightmares contained her brother in some form and this one was no different. She could still hear his voice, barking orders at her, dictating how she was going to live her life. How she was his to command, and that they were responsible for upholding their family legacy.

But this nightmare had the added bonus of if she had remained in Essos. Remained with _him_. All the suiters he wanted to whore her out to so he’d gain something in return. Gold, an army, political influence, it did not matter; as long as he gained a direct benefit from it, he was game. How she could be stuck in a marriage with someone she didn’t want to be with, couldn’t possibly love, because it _might_ help him take back a seat of power he had no chance of getting, let alone maintain.

Daenerys was lucky to escape when she did.

She got out of bed and went straight to her bag, containing the few possessions she brought from Essos. Part of her wished she planned more thoroughly, that she would be able to take more clothes, more belongings, more _memories_.

But what was done was done. She would take being away from Viserys and his cruelness if it meant she had little to her name.

Dany pulled out the first thing that her hand grabbed; a photo frame. In it contained quite possibly her favourite photo: her, Grey and Missandei, just graduating school and having the whole world at their feet. She was wistful for that time - going on seven years ago - with their big smiles and even bigger dreams; in hindsight, that was the start when things started to go downhill. When Viserys got possessive. Controlling. Seeing her as nothing but a pawn in his great game.

The next thing she managed to pull out was another photo frame, this time of an even younger her, at her very first house in Braavos. The big house with the red door and the lemon tree. Daenerys on her swing on her lemon tree, pushed by Sir Willem, Viserys reading on the outside step.

Even though she was so young at the time – maybe not even having reached her sixth nameday – she thought of it fondly. Often. Many hours of getting lost in its rooms and halls, thinking she was some brave explorer, playing with the servants and Willem. She mourned his loss even now, after almost two decades.

The final possession she had managed to grab was her dragon teddy. Dany had never been able to think of a name for it, and yet she had such a personal attachment. She liked to think it was one of the dragons from the history books, one that her ancestors supposedly used to conquer and unify Westeros. Sir Willem had told her it was a gift from her brother long dead; the one who had left his family and ran away with another woman.

She felt the tears fall of their own volition; all her years of living and this is what she had to show for it. Two photos and a teddy. All remnants of a life she had left – _no, forced to leave_. Daenerys felt a little stupid – she was a grown woman of three-and-twenty for crying out loud, and here she was crying her eyes out, cuddling a dragon teddy!

But it did make her feel safe. Wishful for the home she lost. The house with the red door and the lemon tree.

Daenerys sat back down on the bed and curled up to her dragon, trying to muffle her tears and avoid waking up Margaery or Sansa. They didn’t need to be burdened with her problems; they were too kind for that.

Suddenly, she heard a scratching at her door. She worried slightly that she _had _indeed woken her hosts at a time only the Gods knew of.

Dany dried her tears as best she could and got up to open the door. She had an apology already on her tongue as she opened it to find… _nothing_? No Sansa, no Margaery, just empty space in front of her door.

She jumped and barely stopped herself from yelping when she felt something brush against her leg. Even in the dark, with the small amount of streetlight pouring, she could just scarcely make out what it was.

_Lady_.

Daenerys shut the door and bent down, stroking through her thick fur. “What are you doing here, eh?” she asked the canine. Lady responded by nudging her head into Dany’s hand and putting one of her paws onto her knee.

“Did you hear me crying?” she asked, even though she knew there would be no answer; Lady just pressed her head harder into Dany’s palm, regarded her with her big yellow eyes that seemed to know exactly what was wrong and why she needed comforting.

Dany just pulled Lady closer, hugging her tightly; she felt her head rest against her shoulder, her fur brushing Dany’s skin. Never would she have ever guessed that she’d be comforted from one of her nightmares by a direwolf.

She sat there for a time she couldn’t begin to guess, softly crying into the canine’s fur, running her hands through her thick coat.

Lady pulled away and grabbed the dragon which had fallen to the floor and brought it to Daenerys, the dragon hanging in her mouth by a single leg. “Clever thing aren’t ya?” she said, taking the dragon and kissing Lady on her head.

Daenerys climbed back into bed, under the duvet; Lady quickly jumped up and curled up atop the covers, shielding Dany in a protective stance. She could feel Lady’s warmth radiating through the quilt; she wrapped an arm around the canine and buried a hand into her fur, slowly stroking until she fell back into an agitated sleep.

**\--------------------**

Daenerys awoke, tiredness still weighing her down from her restless night; Lady was still atop the sheets, curled around her, snoozing away in the same protective position she was the night before.

She reached out and started to run one of her hands through the canine’s thick fur, lazily tracing patterns, taking comfort in the repetition of the action. Daenerys had always wanted a dog, a leftover dream from when she was younger, and that desire had only grown since meeting Lady.

Eventually, Lady woke up, her yellow eyes slowly opening; Dany giggled when she licked her face in the form of a greeting.

“Well, good morning to you too,” she smiled, scratching behind her ears. She sat up in bed and stretched, watching as Lady mirrored her action and scratched her jaw with a large paw. Her hands found themselves in the canine’s fur yet again; Lady didn’t seem to mind, more the opposite, relishing in all the attention.

“Should we get some food?” she asked to her animal friend. Lady immediately jumped off of the bed, and ran straight to the door, tail wagging ecstatically.

“I’ll take that as a yes then,” she smiled. The clothes she’d been given to sleep in were still big, so when Daenerys stood as stretched, they didn’t even ride up and expose her skin. Although Margaery had promised to take her shopping at one point, so at least she could feel like she had a few things of her own and wasn’t completely sponging off the hospitality of her hosts.

She opened the door and walked out into the hallway, the air filled with the sounds of Sansa and Margaery’s low-level conversation. Margaery was still dressed in her pyjama’s, coffee in hand, the morning light making her silk pyjamas shine. Her brown hair was curled around her shoulders, yet neatly unkempt.

Sansa was leaning against the kitchen island, smiling at her girlfriend, lost in whatever they were talking about. The redhead seemed to have an endless supply of t-shirts and shorts she could sleep in, given that Dany was currently wearing some of hers and she still had some left to wear herself.

Seeing Sansa and Margaery like this, so natural and domestic, was refreshing; it only served to remind how far she was from the world of back-alley deals, surreptitious meetings and promises never meant to be honoured that her brother forced her into. Gone were the days of dressing up for potential allies or brownnosing anyone who could help them; now she could just simply _be_ and not have to worry about it.

All because of the kindness of two strangers – no, _friends_ – that decided to help her out.

They were kind.

They were genuine.

They were _beautiful_.

“Morning!” both Sansa and Margaery beamed at her as she came into the living room.

“Morning,” she yawned, waving her hand at the pair. She felt Lady’s fur brush up against her legs as she trotted past.

“So that’s where you went!” exclaimed Margaery, bending down to scratch behind Lady her ears, as the direwolf sniffed at her face. “We looked all over for you.”

“Gods, did she spend all night with you?! I’m so sorry!” Sansa looked horrified at the prospect.

“It’s cool, she wasn’t a pain or anything. She just wanted to cuddle really,” Dany said.

“Sounds a lot like her owner,” Margaery smirked, taking a sip of her coffee.

Sansa blushed and scratched Lady as the direwolf nuzzled into the side of her face. “You can kick her out, you know? You don’t have to put up with her there if you don’t want to.”

“Yeah,” Daenerys responded, “but look at her – could you say no to that face?” pointing at Lady, who had her head tilted to the side and giving the soft, wide puppy eyes at the trio.

Sansa seemed to melt entirely. “No, you can’t,” she said, hugging the direwolf and scratching all over her back. Margaery chuckled and shook her head fondly at her girlfriend. Daenerys had to admit that it was a cute scene; Lady did have this quality that just made you fall in love with her without much effort. And she seemed to be able to know _exactly_ how you were feeling.

“Did you want some breakfast?”

“Please,” Dany smiled. She took a seat at the kitchen island, while Margaery went and grabbed a plate, filling it with pancakes and bacon. She accepted her plate with a thanks and was greeted with a wonderful aroma filling her senses. She folded up some bacon and cut off a chunk of pancake, placing both on her fork and take a bite. The softness of the pancake compared with the crispiness of the bacon, a blend of opposing textures melting in her mouth; it was heavenly.

“This is really good; did you cook this?” Daenerys asked.

“No, Sansa did. I thought I’d save my culinary expertise for a special occasion.”

“What she means is,” Sansa said dryly, rising up from her position on the floor, “she cooks about as well as Lady does.”

“That’s a little harsh!” Margaery gasped.

“You burnt soup, Marge!” Sansa retorted.

“How was I meant to know it was burning?!”

“The smell of burning maybe?!”

At that Margaery visibly pouted; Sansa just laughed and shook her head. “My poor little gourmet chef,” she said, planting a kiss on Margaery’s cheek and moving to take some bacon from the pan.

Lady followed her owner, yapping up at her hand to get the bacon. “Sit,” she said, pointing down. Lady followed the order and was rewarded when Sansa ripped off a piece and threw it to her; Daenerys couldn’t stop the smile that overtook her face.

“Up,” she continued, gesturing up. Lady once again followed suit and received another bacon slice in reward.

“Gods, I swear that dog is the most pampered animal in all of Westeros,” Margaery said, appearing at Dany’s side. “Feel like she’s dating _her_ more than _me_ sometimes.” Daenerys snorted at that and was given a grin in return.

The pair watched as Lady continued tricks at Sansa’s command, rewarded with bacon every time. “So, I was thinking,” Margaery began, “that we could take you around the city today. You know, show you around, take you to the touristy spots, that kinda thing.”

“Yeah, that sounds really nice,” Dany said, smiling at the brunette. Margaery stood closer to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders; Daenerys was surprised at first but found herself relaxing into the contact, restraining herself from leaning further into the brunette’s warmth.

“Oi princess, if you and your girlfriend are done, maybe you’d wanna get ready?” Margaery asked.

Sansa covered Lady’s ears and gasped in shock. “Don’t listen to her darling, she’s just jealous of our love,” Lady responded in turn by licking all over her face.

Daenerys giggled as Margaery rolled her eyes. “I’m gonna get ready,” Dany said, moving to head back to her bedroom.

“Hey Marge,” Sansa said, grinning from ear to ear.

“Don’t you dare!” Margaery warned, slowly backing up. Sansa ran forward and kissed all over Margaery’s face, ensuring Lady’s slobber was put onto her girlfriend’s face.

“Sansa!” Margaery screamed, laughing as she tried to move away. “Sansa! Stop!”

Daenerys could only smile as she watched the situation, laughing at how it had turned into some sort of pseudo-wrestling match but with kisses instead of hits. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy at seeing the scene; it had been far too long since she had had a relationship, long before she had left Essos. Hopefully, Sansa or Margaery knew someone that they could introduce her to. 

She showered and then changed into a jumper and some leggings and put her hair into a ponytail. It was different from her usual style of clothes and just wearing her hair down, but she was growing to like it more and more. _New city, new style, _she thought to herself.

Dany walked back into the living room where she noticed her friends had changed their clothes also, with the trio in an assortment of jumpers, leggings and jeans. Sansa was slipping a collar around Lady’s neck, while Margaery sat on her phone. She looked up when Dany approached.

“You ready?” she smiled.

“Yeah,” she returned. A small grin on grew on her face: “get all the dog slobber off?”

“I did,” she said, narrowing her eyes at the redhead. “Although I was attacked throughout.”

Sansa snorted. “Just be grateful it was me and not both of us,” she smirked, tightening the collar and standing up.

“Still, I’ve got backup now,” Margaery said, looping her arm through Daenerys’. Margaery seemed to be extra touchy today – not that it bothered Dany, she was more than happy to have actual human contact again – but she was at ends trying to explain why she felt a warm pit in her stomach whenever she did.

Sansa opened the door and walked out. “Backup isn’t going to help you later whe-“

“Sans, I swear to all the Old Gods and the New…” Margaery said, shaking her head fondly and leading Daenerys outside.


End file.
